The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-12-10

OF nobility who beheld 1t, as well as on the
head Of the poor fellow who was its victim.
------------
Our esteemed contemporary the Argus,
labors through the best part of column to
break the force of Mr.. Blane's destructive
comm ent on the Presidents free trade mes
sage, but its success is not distinguished
Mr.. Blaine pointed out that the English
papers were pleased with the message
and inferred, quite naturally, from that
fact that they expected some substantial
benefits to accrue to England from the adop-
tion of the policy outlined in it. The Argus,
however says this inference is drawn
from false premise and processes to think
that England is really alarmed at the pros
pect of the Urited States becoming free
trade nation. When nation is alarmed lest
some other nation is about to adopt policy
which will disastrously affect its welfare it
is hardly natural for it to look with COM
placency on the prospect and to speak good
words for the policy. If the London Daily
News had been alarmed by Clevelands mes
sage it would scarcely have used this Ian
guage:
Seldom has an American President had more
important or impressive lesson to teach. The
fact is that although President Cleveland makes
pretence by shutting his eyes to 1t, the policy Of
prot ction has been reduced to practical, theo-
retical absurdity. The stone now set rolling will
not stop tffi the fueaf OF protection is broken in
pieces.
There is no sign of fear in that comment.
On the contrary the editor evidently feels
quite content because the American Presi-
dent bias "set stone rolling which win not
stop till the ideal Of protection Is broken In
pieces" Had he felt that the English people
would read with terror the Presidents free
trade recommendation he would have set to
work to reassure them by impressing 1t upon
them that the Presidents policy had not
been adopted and that it was by no means
certain that it would be. Instead of that he
tells them practically that the President has
sounded the death knell of protection every
where, an assurance which, assuming they
were terrified by the message, must
have thrown them into a state of
panic. There have been no reports
of panic however, we believe. and the
British lion is bearing up nobly in face of
the appalling fate which Mr.. Cleveland's
message threatens him with Having shown
to its own satisfaction that Mir. Blaine was
mistaken and that England was really
frightened by the message it proceeds to con-
troyert another point made by Mr.. Blaine
Mr.. Blaine asked:
How are we 10 export staple fabrics to the mar
kets Of Europe unless we make them cheaper than
they do in Europe? and how are we to manufac-
ture them cheaper unless We get cheaper labor?
the question q labor nnderlles the Whole subject
can force the carpenters, masonS, ironworkers,
mechanics in every department, TO work cheaply
and live poorly in the United States, as similar
workmen i'm Europe, we can of course manufac-
ture just as cheaply as they do.
And the Argus replies:
Not quite ''the whole question:" Mr.. Blaine
Cheap materials TO work up form an even more
vital and important element. IL lis the testimony
of intelligent manufacturers who have studied the
subject in sEurope-have personally investigated
plish as much In proportion to the pay they get as
do the English workmen. This being the case,
with free materials nate, 70 work upon and the i'm
well how TO utilize, we could produce goods cheap
er than our competitors and pay our workmen
higher, and still higher wages. 1t is conceded by
intelligent judges that we have in all the great
branches OF practical industry more skllful and
expert workmen than are to be found elsewhere
IN the world. Give them free material and they
will beat the world
This is very fiattering to American skill,
but we do not believe any intelligent work
ingman In this country wants to take con-
tract to do so much more work in day than
an observation-disclosures that his employers
can afford to continue to pay him the excess
of his present wages over the wages of the
Englishman, when the products of the two
are placed in direct competition. But this is
the only way, as the Argus practically ad-
mlts, that the American workingman's wages
can be kept up under the free trade system
Virtually then our contemporary tells
the American workingman that he
need not be afraid to compete with
the poorly paid and poorly fed working
man Of Europe. All he will have to do to keep
up his present wages is to perform two or
three times as much work as his European
competitor Certainly this ought to reassure
him and make him content with free trade
f,nlinu